Leica's Rugged New Camera Can Take a Dip, a Spill, Whatever

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Leica's Rugged New Camera Can Take a Dip, a Spill, Whatever

James Day

Leica’s cameras have proven their excellence in war zones and on city streets. But you’d have to be batshit-insane to take one snorkeling. Nearly every model in the century-old German outfit’s line is as expensive as a studio apartment in San Francisco. Now the aquaventurous can shoot in style with the Leica X-U, the company’s first fully ruggedized camera. Its shock-resistant, sealed shell protects against not only water (down to 15 meters) but also dirt, grime, and clumsiness. With an ultrasharp 35-mm-equivalent fixed lens, light-gulping f/1.7 max aperture, and generous 16.5-megapixel APS-C sensor, the X-U has the chops you’d expect of any camera wearing the iconic red dot. Superdope design detail: The flash is mounted on the top edge of the lens barrel—great for subsurface fish photos. Just under $3K isn’t exactly couch-cushion change, but, hey, it’s not bad for a Leica. $2,950